The sight of Danny Welbeck rattling Brighton and Hove Albion into a second-minute lead was not an ideal start to a crucial period in Liverpool’s season but Jurgen Klopp must have been pleased with how his side reacted.
Liverpool hit 14 shots in the first half at Anfield today, including Luis Diaz’s 27th-minute equaliser. It was the sort of furious, sustained reaction that has powered their title challenge this season.
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And little changed in the second half, with Liverpool — led by the constant probing of Alexis Mac Allister against his previous employers — pressurising their opponents. Mohamed Salah, who certainly did not enjoy his most clinical game in a red shirt, duly put Liverpool ahead on 65 minutes with what turned out to be the winner.
Here are the key talking points from the game …
How do Liverpool keep pulling off these comebacks?
No Premier League team has won more points from losing positions this season than Liverpool and going back to that well eventually brought another forward step towards the title they covet.
This was the seventh time Liverpool have recorded a comeback victory in their 29 league games of 2023-24, making them the standout reactive side in a season that looks set to see more comeback wins than any previous Premier League campaign.
Klopp would dearly like to see his side record more routine victories on the run-in but there is no questioning the resolve of this team. Setbacks are seldom terminal for them — and more often than not become the spark for a response.
Today’s visit of Brighton merely extended the pattern. Danny Welbeck’s opening goal came early enough for a reaction and barely saw Liverpool break stride. There were no doubts revealed, especially not once Luis Diaz drew his side level midway through the first half.
Liverpool were not a polished force in attack but the tempo of their play, driving forward and pinning Brighton back, always promised the winner that eventually came through Mohamed Salah’s calm finish in front of the Kop with 25 minutes of the 90 to go.
Another big win and another show of belief once adversity had come along.
Why are Brighton such tough opponents for Liverpool?
There has been something about Brighton to trouble Liverpool in recent years. They continue to be one of Jurgen Klopp’s greatest irritants, something close to a domestic-football kryptonite.
The seven Premier League meetings that preceded this one had returned just one Liverpool win (in May 2022) and including the FA Cup tie last season, won 2-1 by Brighton, there is a lengthening sequence of struggle.
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The early indications were that this would be another awkward challenge. Danny Welbeck’s crisp drive after 87 seconds sent Brighton into an early lead and revealed a vulnerability for Liverpool down their right side. Simon Adingra was a nagging threat for Conor Bradley, and Brighton’s style, slick and adventurous on the counter, caused persistent defensive issues.
Liverpool always threatened more, equalising through Luis Diaz just before the half-hour, but Brighton were opponents, once again, not easily subdued by Klopp’s side.
Roberto De Zerbi, the head coach linked with the looming summer vacancy at Anfield, can certainly point to his recent record against Liverpool as a positive, whatever transpires once Klopp steps down.
Might Salah’s wastefulness prove costly in the run-in?
Question his form and wonder about his sharpness but never fault Mohamed Salah for his perseverance. Seven attempts on goal, all in the first half, came before the Egyptian emerged as Liverpool’s match-winner in the 65th minute, with a calm finish beyond goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen.
It was Salah’s 16th Premier League goal of the season (it’s 22 for Liverpool in all competitions) and enough to again elevate the forward for acclaim.
Time and again, he has been Liverpool’s goalscoring hero in the past six years but for long periods of this game it was an unusually profligate showing.
Salah needed little encouragement to try his luck as Liverpool’s attacking figurehead but his accuracy was lacking for more than an hour. One tame attempt, straight at Verbruggen, was particularly wasteful. There were more missed opportunities in the second half as Salah was twice denied by the saves of Verbruggen but an entertaining game’s defining moment belonged to Liverpool’s top scorer.
A deft pass from Alexis Mac Allister, the stylish former Brighton midfielder who shone throughout, picked out the movement of Salah inside the box and a composed finish, with his body opened up, finally got Liverpool’s nose in front.
But with 12 shots overall in the game — the most by any player in a single Premier League game since 2016 and the most Salah has ever recorded in his 254 appearances in the competition — Klopp will hope that their main man rediscovers his clinical edge in the coming weeks.
What does this mean for the title race?
A three-point lead at the top of the Premier League table will not last with Manchester City hosting Arsenal later this afternoon but this was another significant victory for Liverpool on a day that will see a title rival, or possibly both of them, dropping points.
The games are ticking down (with just nine more to come for them) and Liverpool have reclaimed an advantage after seeing off a Brighton side who will host Arsenal and City in April.
Klopp’s side are back to being the team to catch after this important return to winning ways.
What did Klopp say?
“There were so many top performances today. We dominated in a lot of moments like we never did in a game before against Brighton — we played much better football, caused them real problems. In so many moments we did really well after a super-tricky start. It was a wonderful goal from them; well played, great finish.
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“Yes, the finishing boots were not exactly fitting, but it’s not a problem. We were not in a rush in the build-up but, in our finishing, we were in a rush — we had a lot of moments, shots, situations, but not with the real quality we have.
“That was the most important thing I told the boys at half-time. The high press was really good and we had to play in similar spaces to the first half, but the finishing… we just had to calm down and thankfully we did.”
What next for Liverpool?
Thursday, April 4: Sheffield United (H), Premier League, 7.30pm BST, 2.30pm ET
Bottom visits top, as Liverpool look to respond to whatever Arsenal and Manchester City do in home games against Luton Town and Aston Villa respectively the night before. Liverpool won 2-0 at Bramall Lane in early December and have beaten United in the clubs’ last six meetings by a combined score of 13 goals to one.
Recommended reading
- What happened with Liverpool and Xabi Alonso – and where do the club look now?
- Would Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi be the right kind of manager for Liverpool?
- Every Premier League club’s season so far graded – and what they have left to play for
(Top photo: Alex Livesey/Getty Images)